Medicine dropper



Sept. 12, 1944.A w.'P. GRUETTER MEDICINE DROPPER Filed April 18, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w, P. GRUETTER MEDICI Sept. 12, 1944.

NE DROPPER Filed April 1s, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patent-ed Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEDICINE DROPPER William P. Gruetter, Chattanooga, Tenn. Application April 18, 1942, Serial No. 439,605'

(Cl. 12S-234) 10 Claims.

-The present invention relates to medicine droppers and has as its object the provision of a dropper capable of accurate control of the numberof drops and rate of dropping as well as affording a clear vision of a' preliminary measurement of a dosage in drops within itself beforeactual use of the measured dose, thus finding great usefulness, for example, in the administration of medicinal fluids in the nose where the flow of the medicine from the dropper is obscured from the user, and enabling the user to recover a miscount without waste, by return of an incorrectly meas'- ured dose to the source for subsequent recount.

A further object is' the provision of a device whereby the counting of the drops may be effected from a drop delivery chamber to a temporary retaining chamber from which, after ac.

curate measurement, the measured liquid may be used all at one time o'r intermittently or slowly as desired without attention to counting.

These objects of the invention are attained in' general by the' provision of a pair of ktelescopicallir nested tubular chamber elements so arranged that the medicine may be dropped under accurate control from the inner chamber into the outer chamber to be subsequently discharged therefrom in the full measured dose, the inner chamber element being arranged to receive its charge of the medicine without removal from the assemblage and directly through its discharge end independently of the discharge passage of the outer chamber.

The device is capable of being formed of relatively rigid, stable material as distinguished from the use of a live rubber bulb as heretofore required, which material is preferably some suitable transparent plastic or condensation product although it may be made of some non-plastic transe parent material such as glass.

The above and various other objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly comprehended from a perusal of the following specification and the drawings accompanying the same.

In the drawings Figure l is a perspective view of the complete dropper;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, slightly enlarged;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal axial section on the line 3'-3 of Figure 2 showing the inner tube in its lowermost position relative to the outer tube;

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the cylindrical lling and discharge cap elevated to the charging position;

Figure 5 is asimilar view showing the inner tube raised ready for discharging the uid into the outer tube in counted drops;

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the device in operating position in a users hand;

Figure 7 is an enlarged axial section showing a measured dose of the fluid held in the outertube ready for delivery;

Figure 8 is a perspective View of the inner tub alone;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detailed perspective of the guard housing showing the finger opening and locking notches.

Figure 10 shows a modified form of the' linger openings. v

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device comprises in general a pair of inner and outer telescoping tube members I0 and I I, respectively, a cylindrical cap member I2 telescopically slidable over the upper end of the inner tube member, a handle I3 for effecting said relative telescopic movement between the inner and outer tube members, and a guard housing I 4 for guarding the upper or free end of the inner tube and cap member and controlling their operation.

The inner tube member I0 is arranged to slide telescopically in the outer tube member II with an air and liquid tight joint so as to have a piston or plunger relation with respect to the outer tube for displacing liquid therefrom. The lower ends of both inner and outer tubes are tapered -nozzle I6 by the lower end of the inner tube and its nozzle I5, the latter lower end and nozzle, are made to fit snugly into the lower end and nozzle I6 of the outer t-ube.V The end rim of the nozzle I5 extends substantially to (or beyond, if desired) the outer rim of the nozzle I6 so as to bring the end of the inner nozzle into communication with the outside space wholly independently of the interior cavities of the outer tube and its nozzle.

Charge and discharge of the inner or dropper tube I0 is effected by means of the cylindrical sliding cap I2V telescopically mounted on the up;- per open end of the inner tube with a 'substane tially air and liquid tight t so as to act torincrease the space within the tube and cap upon upward movement of the cap to and reduce such space upon lowering of the cap. The guard housing I4 is mounted on the top of the outer tube I I in clamping engagement therewith by means of the stop shoulder I1 and the threade'd'upper end I8 of the outer tube which engages with internal threads in the lower tubular end I9 of the guard housing. An annular ridge formation 2D about the sides of the cap I2 afford a suitable iinger grip for operation of the cap, access to which is facilitatedby the opposed elongated linger openings 2I and 22 in the sides of the guard housing. These finger openings also afford clearance for Vertical movement of the handles I3 in the up and down movementv of the inner' tube. A free, non-frictional movement of the cap member I2 Within the upper portion of the guard housing I4 is permitted by the allowance of a suitable slight clearance therebetween as indicated at 23,

the clearance being made sufficient to permit free movement of the cap without undue friction or resistance due to air cushioning, but at the same.

`time sufliciently close to act as a guide and prevent undue lateral displacement of the upper end of the inner tube and c ap. A suitable stop-guage mark in the formof an annular groove 24 is provided on the guard housing midway of the total extent of travel of thecap element I2 to aid in guaging a predetermined amount of partial movement for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Itis also to be noted at this point that the inner top portion 25 of the guard housing acts as a stop forlthe upward movement of the cap element. l

The fit between the cap element I2 and the inner tube I Uvis made with suiiicient tightness or frictional engagement to cause the cap to remain in any adjusted position on the tube and to be carried upwardly with the tube in such position until the upward movement oi the cap is arrested by the top of the guard housing. To prevent accidental raising of the inner tube during up- Ward adjustment of the cap the guard housing is provided with a pair of lock notches 26, one at the bottom y of each of vthe diametrically opposite edgesfof the hand openings 2l and 22 for locking the operating handles I3 in the lowermost position. v As indicated above, the device is made preferably" wholly of transparent material, at least the'outer and inner tubular members and the guard'housing.

In operation, it being desired to measure a dose of a given number of drops, the user positions the parts as indicated in Figures 1 and 3 where it will be seen that the inner tube I is in Aits lowermostl position within the outer tube, substantially wholly filling the space between it and the outer tube'andfbetween the nozzles l5 and I6. vThis brings the rim of the nozzle I into direct communication with outside space independently of the outer nozzle I6 and with the inner tube locked or'held'positively in its lowermost position by engagement of the handles I4 and the lock notches 26. The cap I2 is also moved down into its lowermost position as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The user now places the nozzle end of the device in the medicinal fluid to be measured and draws a charge of the fluid into the inner tube I0 by engaging the cap I2 with the fingers through the'iinger openings of the guard housing I4 and sliding the cap up along the inner tube to the stopgauge 24, the rigid cap thus functioning in thevmanner of the usual rubber bulb of the ordinary dropper. v

This operation brings the parts into the position shown in Figure 4 where the cap I2 is shown elevated to the stop gauge 2liV with a charge of medicinal fluid 27 in the lower end of the inner tube drawn in by the reduction of pressure in the inner tube due to the relative upward move-ment the devicefromthe fluid supply andv unlocks the inner tube by a slight turn of the handles I3 about the axis of the tube to withdraw them from th'e lock-notches. The inner tube is then raised into the position shown in Figure 5 carrying with it the capA I2 into the position as shown where it is justin engagement with or about to engage the top or abutment 25 of the guard housing. This relative movement between the inner and outer tubes produces a space 28 within the lower end of the outer tube into which the fluid may now be discharged in drops, by slow, regulated, upward movement of the upper end of the inner tube I0 into the cap element l2 forcing the liquid out of the inner tube in drops into the space 28 in the lower end of the outer tube. This accurately controlled upward movement of the inner tube is effected by holding the device as indicated in Figure 6 where it will be seen the operator is afforded a firm hold of the outer tube with the fingers and an accurate control `of the upward movement of the inner tube, through'the handles I3, by the thumb and forenger.

The device with the measured dose of a predetermined number of drops contained in the lower portion of the outer tube is shown in Figure 7. The device is thus madeready for discharge of the measured dose without requirement of further attention tothe counting of drops. Delivery of the dose may now be effected without releasing the hold on the device simply by pressing down on one or both of the handles I3, moving the inner tube (together with the cap I2) downwardly into its lowermost position within the outer tube II to displace the measured dose fromV the lower end of the outer tube, which delivery may be effected quite rapidly or slowly or in drops as desired and without having to view the iiow of the medicine from the dropper.

To enable the device to be used for volumetric measurement of iiuids other than in drops, as for example, in cubic centimeters or in teaspoons full, the lower end of the outer tube may be graduated in such units of volume, as indicated at 29 in Figure l, and the inner tube used as a piston plunger for directly charging the outer tube to the desired graduation while the outer nozzle is maintained below fluid level in a container of the fluid to be measured, after which the device may be removed from the source and the measured charge discharged by downward movement of the inner tube.

To avoid dependence upon a stop gauge mark such as the mark 24 for gan-ging a limited upward movement of the cap member I 2V and render the device automatic as to the limiting of this movement, the nger openings 2I and 22 may be shortened as indicated in Figure 10 to a distance that, when the cap I2 is grasped ybetween two fingers through said slots at their lower ends, the upward movement of the cap I2 is limited by the upper ends of the slots which the fingers engage in manipulating the cap upwardly, this distance of movement bringing the cap I2 toror approximately to the gauge mark 24. In such cesefthiupper endsbf. thenger .openings are provided with relativelynarrow slots 2,9 topermit upward movement of the handles I3 beyond the top of the iin'ger openingsfso that the cap I2V may be moved intojengagement with the stop 25, when'the inner tube `IIrljgis raised as previously explained. 1;

While the device is hereeshown as built up of parts assembled by threaded joints as, for example; the joining lof the handles to the inner tube and the joining of thek kguard housing to the outer tube, it will be understood that other methods of joining parts may be used, for example the handles I3 may be cast or otherwise formed integral with the inner tube, the guard housing being slotted through to its ybottom rim to permit assembling of the parts. Likewise instead of a threaded joint between the lower end of the guard housing and the outer tube Il, a simple friction joint may be used.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention for the sake of disclosure, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiment but contemplates all such modications and variations thereof as fall fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A medicine dropper comprising an outer tube having a discharge opening, an inner droppertube having a nozzle and arranged to be moved within the outer tube as a plunger piston, said nozzlebeing arranged to close and extend through the discharge opening in the outer tube into direct communication with space outside the discharge opening of the outer tube so that liquid will not enter the outer tube when the liquid is drawn into the inner tube, means for drawing a charge of fluid into the inner dropper tube l through the said nozzle, means Vfor withdrawing the nozzle of the inner dropper tube from the discharge opening in the outer tube to within the outer tube to leave a space within the outer tube 2. A medicine dropper comprising a pair of inner and outer telescoping tubes having internesting nozzles at one end so proportioned that the nozzle of the inner tube will extend through that of the outer tube into direct communication with space outside the outer tube, a sleeve-like cap for Y the other end of the inner tube slidable telescopically thereupon for varying the volume of the space within theinner tube and cap, and means for limiting the movement of the cap.

3. A medicine dropper comprising a pair of inner and outer telescoping tubes having internesting nozzles at one end so proportioned that the nozzle of the inner tube will extend through that of the outer tube into direct communication with space outside the outer tube, a sleeve-like cap for the other end of the inner tube slida-ble telescopically thereupon for varying the volume of the space within the inner tube and cap, and means for holding (the inner tube stationary relative to the outer tube during movement of the cap away from the nozzle of the inner tube.

4. A medicine dropper comprising a pair of inner and outer telescoping tubes having internesting nozzles at one end so proportioned that the nozzle of the inner tube will extend through that of the cuter tube intodi'r'ct communicaticnfwun space outside the outer tube, a tubular cap vforV the other end of -the Vvinner .tube Vslidable -telescopically thereupon for varying the vvolume of the space within the inner tube and cap, means for moving the inner tube 'and the cap fasv va whole away from the nozzle end of the outer tube to leave a space within the outer tube between the nozzle ends of nthe outer Land inner tubes and means for arresting the movement of thec'apto permit the inner. tube to move relative to the cap to reduce the volume of the space within the inner tube and" cap after a predetermined movement of the inner tube.

5. A medicine dropper comprising a pair of inner and outer telescoping tubes having internestnozzle ends of the outer and inner tubes, a guard housing for said cap carried by the outer tube, and stop means on said housing for limiting the movement of the cap.

6. A medicine dropper comprising a pair of telescoping tubular elements having relatively slid-4 ingrmovement when operated, the inner tubular element having a nozzle at one end and a filler means thereon at the other end, and the outer tubular element having a dropper opening in one end, said inner tubular element having its nozzle arranged to close and extend into the opening at the end of the outer tubular element at least to the outer rim of the latter.

7. A medicine dropper comprising a tubular dropper element having a nozzle at one end and a ller cap at the other end, an outer tubular element having the dropper element slidably telescoping therein, one end ofthe outer tubular element being provided with a nozzle and said dropper element having its nozzle end arranged to fit snugly into the nozzle end of the outer tubular the other end of the inner tu-be slidable telescopically thereupon for Lvarying the volume of the space within the inner tube and cap, a guard housing for said cap carried by the louter tube,` a handle for sliding said inner tube in said outer tu-be, said housing having a finger opening to facilitate manipulation of the cap and limited in longitudinal extent to limit the movement of the finger of an o-perator in manipulating the cap, said handle protruding through said ngeropening in the housing and said housing having a nar` row extension of the nger opening to permit longitudinal movement of the handle to an extent greater than the iinger opening.

9'. .A medicine dropper as set forth in claim 10 further characterized by operable means for holding the inner tube stationary within the being open at its other end,- anda filler cap slid- 10 ably adjustably fitted on said other end of said inner tube to draw liquid into the inner tube, when the nozzle of the latter extends into the discharge opening of the outer tube, said filler cap being adapted to engage said abutment on the outer tube, .when the inner tube is moved toward said abutment, whereby 1iquid is expelled from the inner tube into the outer tube.

WnLIAM P. GRUETTER. 

